Student FAQ

The Boston College Core Curriculum is comprised of fifteen requirements. Details on Core requirements.

There is no one path to fulfilling the Core. The Core is meant to be a foundational experience for underclassmen and women as they pursue their education at BC. It is not something to “get out of the way” -- it is what makes a BC education deep and distinctive. For some, taking most Core courses in their first years at BC makes sense. A broad foundation will make the specialization of a major richer and more satisfying. For others, especially those whose majors follow a clear path of requirements beginning their first year, it makes sense to take Core classes along the way; they establish breadth and balance the demands of a major. The key question is not when you take your Core requirements, but how you see them providing the heart of a liberal arts education in a Jesuit setting. As a practical matter, you will also have more flexibility in choosing your Core courses if you start early, rather than if you attempt to cram several last-minute credits in during your senior year. If you are concerned about managing your schedule in concert with the needs of your major, school, or pre-professional program, you should speak with your advisor and/or class dean.

Contact the relevant department Core representative or, in the case of Cultural Diversity substitution credit, the Office of the Associate Dean for the Core. Their names and e-mail addresses are available online.

No. Core courses can only be approved by a university-wide committee, and only the faculty member can apply for the class to receive Core credit. The Associate Dean has no authority to approve BC courses for Core credit on an ad hoc basis and cannot grant any substitutions for students.

The Cultural Diversity requirement can be satisfied by a Core class, an elective, or a major requirement. All courses that meet the Cultural Diversity requirement are designated so in Course Information and Schedule in Agora (search for “cultural diversity” in the search bar).

If you are interested in studying abroad, you should meet with an advisor in the Office of Global Education (OGE) as soon as possible. Certain courses have been pre-approved by the University Core Renewal Committee (UCRC) for Core credit. See the OGE website for further information.

A summer class can sometimes fulfill a Core requirement--please read the following scenarios to learn more:

If it is a course offered through Summer Session at BC, the course must already be approved for Core during the academic year. (For example, SOCY1001 in Summer Session acts the same as SOCY1001 in Fall or Spring semester.) No other courses are eligible to count for Core, including Woods College courses (which begin with AD****).

If it is a course taken outside BC (at another domestic university or study abroad): You must seek approval from the BC department that most closely matches the course content. (For example, a Political Science course taken in England should be referred to the Political Science department at BC.)

Almost never. Only under extreme special circumstances can an on-line course be taken. For more information, please contact your dean.

If you believe a Core class is not appearing in the correct spot on your degree audit, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the course counts for Core credit. Look up the course on the Course Information & Schedule on Agora. All Core courses should be marked as fulfilling specific Core requirements on the course schedule. If the course is not marked as fulfilling a Core requirement and you believe it is a Core class, please contact the relevant Core representative.
2. If you are in a “pilot” Core Renewal class (either Complex Problems or Enduring Questions) and it is not appearing correctly on your degree audit, please contact our office at core@bc.edu
3. If you are certain that a course counts for Core credit and is still not appearing correctly on your degree audit, please visit the Office of Student Services on the first floor of Lyons Hall and request that they manually move the class into the proper slot on your degree audit.

No, there is no foreign language requirement as part of the Core Curriculum. However, students in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and the Carroll School of Management are required to demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in a foreign or classical language in order to graduate from Boston College. More information can be found in the Policies and Procedures section of the Undergraduate Catalog. Students in the Lynch School of Education and the Connell School of Nursing do not have a language requirement.

BC Courses during the academic year

Non-BC Courses

• Study Abroad
• Summer Courses
  • Courses at Woods College of Advancing Studies: No substitution Form needed
  • For other courses, please contact the department
• Cultural Diversity Substitution Form
• Information on Advanced Placement and the Core
• Transfer of Credits